JANUARY 2007: Two Monroe County commissioners were charged with violating the Sunshine Law. Mayor Mario Di Gennaro and Commissioner Sonny McCoy each face a civil infraction carrying a fine of up to $500. The charges stemmed from a September post-meeting discussion regarding an upcoming mayoral election. Di Gennaro and then-Mayor McCoy allegedly had a brief conversation about Di Gennaro's plans to run for mayor.
MARCH 2007 (Ocala): A hospital that was indicted on misdemeanor charges for violating Florida’s open government laws during a CEO search has reached an agreement with the State Attorney’s Office. The hospital, which leases publicly owned facilities, did not concede guilt but will pay $2,000 for investigative costs.
OCTOBER 2007 (Lakeland): The Polk County Opportunity Council’s effort to overturn a ruling that they violated the Open Meetings Law was rejected by the 2nd District Court of Appeal. Because the 2nd District didn’t issue a written opinion, the PCOC has nothing to appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. The civil infractions against the 10 board members stemmed from a September 2005 meeting where the board paused a public meeting to discuss reprimanding its executive director.
